Federation CJA

FEDERATION CJA defines itself as the central address for Jewish philanthropy and community service in Montreal.

Purpose

The FEDERATION CJA is the central funding, planning and coordinating body of services for the nearly 93,000 Jews in Montreal,Fact|date=February 2007 Quebec and is the an organization that purports to speak on behalf of the entire Montreal Jewish community. A charitable organization, it raises money that is allocated through a consultative process to a family of constituent agencies and associated communal organizations offering programs meeting health and welfare, education, cultural, spiritual, and social needs.

History

FEDERATION CJA was founded in 1917 with the hope of uniting Montreal's Jewish community and providing a central fundraising organization to serve the 14 founding organizations. It has been involved in all the major issues facing the community over 90 years, including government restrictions on immigration beginning in the 1920s, extreme poverty during the depression, the rise of fascism not only in Europe but also in Quebec during the thirties, the second world war and assisting the remnants of European Jewry, the birth of the State of Israel, waves of immigration including especially Holocaust survivors, Sephardic Jews and Hungarians after the 56 uprising, the rise of the separatist movements and outward immigration, particularly of young Jews that followed in the late 70's and 80's, as well as fighting anti-semitism and assisting meet the needs of the most vulnerable in Montreal, in Israel, and in other communities under threat around the world.

Fundraising

Combined Jewish Appeal (CJA) is the fundraising arm of FEDERATION CJA, with proceeds from the annual campaign supporting an array of local, national, Israel and overseas programs and activities.

Community

As a community organization, it mobilizes thousands of volunteers who devote their time and energy to raising funds, allocating the proceeds, and assisting in the delivery of services. It is one of 156 North American Jewish federations, a member of the United Israel Appeal Federations Canada, the United Jewish Communities, and a contributor to the Jewish Agency for Israel.

Agencies

Constituent Agencies of FEDERATION CJA include Agence Ometz, Bronfman Jewish Education Centre, Camp B'nai Brith, Communauté sépharade unifiée du Québec, Cummings Jewish Centre for Seniors, Hillel Montréal, Jewish Employment Montreal and JEM Workshop Inc., Jewish Family Services of the Baron de Hirsch Institute, Jewish Immigrant Aid Services Montreal, Jewish Public Library, Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre, the Saidye Bronfman Centre, and the YM-YWHA Weider Community Centres.

External links

* [http://www.federationcja.org/index.php?langID=1&setL=true Website for FEDERATION CJA]